A Court of Smoke and Shadow

Chapter Seven: Selene

A/N: Chapters 7 through 11 are all in Selene's POV.

~~~~~

I spoke with Rhysand the next morning.
In the end, he'd decided I should go to Ravka to train my powers. Azriel helped me pack and went with me to Ravka.

"I'm going to miss you," Azriel murmured, kissing my forehead.

"I'm going to miss you, too," I said. "I'll be sure to write."

He sighed. "You could visit, too."

"True, but I have to learn as much as possible before everything goes to shit," I reminded him.

Ravkans stared at us and for a moment I wondered how it felt to be in their shoes. I knew if I was human and two random Fae showed up - one who had shadows trailing him and massive wings and a violet eyed, scarred female with pointed ears and a sharp tongue - that weren't speaking in any language I knew, I'd be terrified, too.

But they weren't scared - at least not all of them. Some were curious. But Az and I were looking for Zoya Nazyalensky - the current Queen of Ravka, Squaller, and a member of the Grisha Triumvirate. I spotted her standing by a man with blonde hair and hazel eyes - I recognized him as Nikolai Lantsov, the King of Ravka - through marriage to Zoya, also known as Sturmhond.

Azriel and I moved our way through the crowd towards them. I wore my simplest - yet still nice - gown, a moon-white silk gown with off the shoulder sleeves. My hair was pinned up in a bun. Azriel was wearing a simple black shirt and black pants. If I was the Moon, then Azriel was Night itself.

Then again, the moon cannot glow without her night.

"Hello," I said to Zoya and Nikolai, switching to Ravkan. "I'm Selene and this is my mate, Azriel."

"I wasn't aware you were bringing anyone," Zoya responded, eyeing Azriel suspiciously.

"Someone has to carry her bags," Azriel mused, in Ravkan.

I was glad I taught him Ravkan extensively after our meeting with Karyn, my birth mother. He learned fast.

"Well, the more the merrier," Nikolai chirped.

"Indeed," I felt my lips curl in the corners.

Az and I followed them to where they kept a coach. Azriel fixed my bags into the storage part of the coach while I climbed in, followed by Zoya, Nikolai, and then Azriel himself. It was cramped in the coach, especially given that Azriel's wings had no comfortable place to rest.

"Sorry about the lack of space," Nikolai said. "These coaches aren't made for wings, I'm afraid."

I shrugged. "It's fine. Would've been more cramped if mine were out."

"You have wings, too?" Zoya asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "I wasn't born with them but I can summon them via magic."

"I think we're going to need bigger furniture," Nikolai muttered.

I laughed at that. "I can alter my own furniture via magic, too."

Nikolai looked surprised. "Really? What else can you do?"

"Pretty much anything. My natural born affinity is shadow manipulation. I recently found out I come from a line of Grisha - mostly Corporalki. At least according to my mother."

"Do you know anything about your family? A last name?" Zoya asked.

"Only that we are distantly related to Sankt Grigori himself," I rubbed a hand over my face. "That, and we are related to the Greenbriar's through Mab."

Zoya hummed, thinking. "We'll figure this out. How old are you?"

"Five hundred and thirty-three years old," I responded.

"Saints," Nikolai said. "I wouldn't have thought you were a day over twenty.

"I stopped aging fully at seventy-five," I smiled. "All of my friends did."

"Well," Zoya said. "We can station you at the Little Palace. You'd be too much older than the school children and it would be weird to put you at the school."

I nodded. The Little Palace school consisted of all Grisha children under sixteen. I was far too old for that, regardless of how young I looked. So I would start training at the Little Palace with all the other Grisha.

I explained to Zoya and Nikolai more about my past - mostly regarding my powers. They listened and asked more questions, trying to understand the depth of my powers. By the time they finished asking, we made it to the Little Palace.

It was possibly the ugliest building I laid eyes on. It was made of marble and real gold plates. A small part of me wanted to rebuild it but make it prettier. It looked too much like something out of the Day Court for my liking. Actually, that's insulting the Day Court. Helion would never.

Zoya and Nikolai led me and Azriel to my dorm room and even it was ugly.

"You Ravkans have horrendous taste," I blurted.

"Blame my ancestors," Nikolai tsked.

"I told him this place was ugly," Zoya sniffed. "We just can't afford to renovate."

"Cauldron," I swore. "I'd give you most of my bank account if you wanted it."

Zoya snorted. "I don't think you have enough to renovate this whole place."

Offended, I simply retorted, "I have enough money to rebuild this place, the Grand Palace, and still have enough money left over to build my own mansion."

"You're joking," Zoya said. "No one has that much money."

I went into their minds and showed them the image of my bank account and all the money in it.

"How are you that rich?" Nikolai asked.

"My father was the High Lord. Now my brother is the High Lord," I shrugged. "He bankrolls our whole friend group."

"Saints," Zoya swore. "I'm immensely jealous."

"Most people are," I smirked.

***

After they took me on a tour of the Little Palace, Azriel said he needed to leave.

I didn't want him to leave. I had never weeped during goodbyes but I would be lying if I said I didn't weep a little while saying goodbye to Azriel.

"It's not permanently, sweetheart," Azriel hugged me.

"I know, I just don't want you to leave," I let out a weepy scoff.

"I'll come back to get you as soon as something happens at home," Azriel promised. "Whenever Feyre gets back, I'll come and get you. Okay?"

"Okay," I nodded and stepped back. He let his arms drop from around me.

"Try not to cause too much trouble," Azriel smirked.

"I am a well bred lady," I scoffed. "Not a hooligan. Or a heathen."

"Of course not," Azriel said, in a tone that suggested otherwise.

We stood there for a moment in silence.

"I should get going," Azriel said.

"Right," I said. "I'll see you soon."

He nodded.

It wasn't a question. I will see Azriel. Regardless of what happens.